My Green Switch Was Flicked On

I was watching Live Earth, I said, Self, what can you do for the environment? So I created this blog. I do a fair bit but I'm running out of ideas. I'm hoping people post comments or suggestions. Let's all do a couple of things to make the EARTH better.



Things I've done to help the environment:

1 Replaced 21 light bulbs with CFL's.
2 Put a few lights on motion detectors.
3 Use a real coffee mug and silverware at my desk.
4 Only buy fair trade and/or organic coffee.
5 Only buy organic produce and meat.
6 On the 100 mile diet. (90% Compliant)
7. Use my own grocery bag.
8. Try to buy products with less packaging.
9. Switched to paperless banking/bill payment.
10 Don't use air conditioning.
11. Take public transit.
12. Unplug instant on stuff, except for VCR and alarm clock.
13. Buy only sustainable power from Bullfrog.
14. Switched to Ice Melter instead of salt.
15. Offset the rest of my emmisions with a carbon credit.

Green things I still need to do:

1 Get rid of my extra beer fridge. (I don't know about this because I brew my own and it need's to be refrigerated.)
2. Quit smoking. (OK, so I'm working on this now)
3. Buy a hybrid. (So, I couldn't buy a hybrid this time cause I had to get a work truck but, I'll limit my driving and will buy a hybrid for personal use at a later date)

Please Note: I am not a writer. Most of these articles are shared from other sources. Please use the links provided to get the whole article from the source site. Please support these sites too! We all have a role to play.

Where I'm At Now

I've decided that organic may not be the way to go. What's the sense of shipping an organic product 3,000 miles if I can find a locally produced item? OK, so it may not be organic but I guess it's a balance between chemicals to grow or chemicals to ship. I've actually found local chicken, beef, pork, lamb and goat, all naturally raised, antibiotic free and free range where applicable. I've managed to find local potatoes, yams, carrots, onions and garlic all winter. I also have a local hydroponic lettuce grower and besides lettuce he grows cucumber, bell peppers and tomatoes.

I've switched to Bullfrog Power. Bullfrog uses only environmentally sustaining power sources like wind as well as low-impact hydro-electric.

I've also discovered Guerrilla Gardening. Take over an abandoned patch and make it grow. Stay tuned.

Well this year, I've decided to post more about what I'm doing. I'll still have cool products once in a while, especially if I've tried or switched to them.

Friday, August 22, 2008

$7000 Residential Vertical Wind Turbine Can Power Your Whole Home


Mariah Power is planning a bigger version of its $5000, 30 foot, 1 kilowatt, residential vertical axis turbine. The new $7000 (without the $3000 US tax credit) version will be able to produce 3 kilowatts, enough to power the average residential home. More here, http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2020/

All-Electric ZAP Alias Now Taking Reservations


Zero Air Pollution (ZAP) has announced that it is taking reservations for its 2 seat, 3 wheeled electric vehicle: the ZAP Alias. The car is projected to be ready for sale in 2009 at $32,500, and on line reservations are being taken for a $5000 deposit. The car can got 0 to 60 in 7.7 seconds, has an EV range of 100+, and get up to 100 mph. More here, http://ecotality.com/life/2008/08/21/the-zap-alias-is-bringing-sexy-back/

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Life Cycle: Green Shoe Fetish

From The HuffingtonPost

Last time, we learned that your yoga mat may be messing with Earth's Zen. Today, we look at another staple of the American workout: tennis shoes.
Not the Chuck Taylor kind. The rubbery, cushy, pumped-up, neon kind that may or may not feature springs, air pockets, reflectors, retractable wheels and motion-sensitive lights.
Training for the New York City marathon in 2004, Sarah wore through three pairs of these running-shoes-on-'roids in twice as many months. In an era when the majority of "tennis shoes" are purchased not for athletic endeavors but for comfort, these products don't hold up to the promise suggested by their $100 price tags, she noted (and then doled out for another pair). Read more here, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/simran-sethi/life-cycle-green-shoe-fet_b_119569.html

Where are the bees going?


Eco-Libris blog reviews the new book of investigative journalist Michael Schacker 'A Spring Without Bees', where he gives a clear reply to the question why the bees are dying and offers solutions to this crisis that poses a great danger to the world's food supply. "Only 26 years" said the beekeeper, "this is how long we have. After that, you will be eating only corn, wheat and rice." Read more here,
http://ecolibris.blogspot.com/2008/08/spring-without-bees-by-michael-schacker.html

Eco Cabs - Emissions and Fare Free Transportation


Imagine you're drunk. Toasted. No way you're driving home. Too far to walk. No cash in your pocket, and the ATM card's back at home. Then you see it. This little green bug of a vehicle, pulling up to you, and someone says, "Need a lift? We don't charge." More here,
http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/eco-cabs-emissions-and-fare-fr-003424.php

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Google to Invest in Geothermal


Google.org, the public-spirited division of Google.com, charged with addressing "climate change, poverty and emerging disease," is using the backdrop of the National Clean Energy Summit here in Las Vegas to announce a new round of clean energy financing. More, http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/google-to-invest-in-geothermal/

Human Caused Wind Changes Drying Southwest


Since the late 1970’s, the winter storm track located above the western US has slowly been sliding north. The combination of global warming and the ozone hole have forced this change, making for fewer winter storms in the American Southwest. Read more here, http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/08/19/human-caused-wind-changes-drying-southwest/

NREL Sets New Solar Cell Efficiency World Record at 40.8%


Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have set a world record in solar efficiency, creating a solar cell that is 40.8% efficient at converting light, compared to the previous record of 40.7%. Read the press release here, http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2008/625.html

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

BYOB Stirs Controversy


Henry’s Farm, a local organic farm that brings a wide range of produce every week to my local farmer’s market, stirred the pot a bit lately when they asked shoppers to byob, or pay $0.25 for a biodegradable bag to tote their produce home. BYOB? It stands for Bring Your Own Bag. A bit more here, http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/08/08/byob-stirs-controversy/

Tall Ship Belem Delivers Wine by Sail and Saves Carbon


Built in 1896, and named for the Brazilian seaport at the mouth of the Amazon, the Belem originally shipped chocolate in its hold from Brazil to France. At 170ft its first shipment of wine from Languedoc France to Dublin this February carried 60,000 bottles of fine wine saving an estimated 140 grams of carbon emissions per bottle. More here, http://greenupgrader.com/3182/tall-ship-belem-delivers-wine-by-sail-and-saves-carbon/

How Safe is Your Lawn? Organic Lawn Care, Lead in your Backyard, and the Safety of Astroturf


Whether you are growing vegetables or a lawn in your yard, the presence of lead in the soil is a concern. The cause of such contamination could be flakes of leaded paint, the remnants of gasoline, or the residue from pesticide application of lead arsenate. Lead can remain the soil for hundreds of years. Read more here, http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/08/18/how-safe-is-your-lawn-organic-lawn-care-lead-in-your-backyard-and-the-safety-of-astroturf/

Monday, August 18, 2008

Solar Car: Around the world in the Solartaxi


The Solartaxi will be the first completely solar-powered car to drive around the world. It’s the creation of Louis Palmer, a Swiss educator and adventurer whose goal is not to make it in 80 days, but to raise awareness that global warming can be stopped and that solutions exist to lower greenhouse gas emissions. More here, http://greenupgrader.com/3146/science-fact-around-the-world-with-the-solartaxi/

Fuel Cells for Portable Electronics, and Beyond


Hydrogen fuel-cell cars have received a great deal of attention over the years as a clean alternative to petroleum-based transportation, producing only water for exhaust. Certainly the technology is known. Demonstration vehicles have been produced by several manufacturers and Honda is starting to roll out a fleet of 200 FCX Clarity fuel-cell cars, available for lease to select customers for US $600 per month. More here, http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53179

New Solar Cell Material Is 23% More Efficient, Captures Infrared Light


Researchers in Spain have developed a new material that can absorb infrared light, in contrast to today’s solar cells which only absorb visible light. Because infrared light makes up half of the sun’s output that reaches the Earth, current solar cells that can only absorb visible light have a theoretical absorption limit of 40%, and only 30% in practice. Read more here, http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn14436-solarcell-material-can-soak-up-more-sun.html?feedId=earth_rss20

Friday, August 15, 2008

Oregon wind farm could be world's largest


The Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council gave its approval of the site of a wind farm billed to be the largest in the world. The Shepherd's Flat Wind Farm, which would span Gilliam and Morrow counties in north-central Oregon, is proposed to have 303 wind turbines with a peak capacity of 909 megawatts -- instantly doubling the state's current wind-generated capacity of 889 megawatts, making it one of the largest wind farms in the country. More here, http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/28/daily1.html

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Tribe in Canada Will Use Wind Energy to Power 30,000 Homes


The First Nation community of Beardy’s and Okemasis has agreed with the alternative energy company SkyPower to develop a large wind park. It will be known as the Willow Cree Wind Project. According to the primary source for this article, construction of the park might begin as soon as 2010. The turbines will be built on approximately 12,000 acres of land located near Big Quill, a community near the town of Wynyard, Saskatchewan. The planned wind park will produce 100 megawatts of energy, enough to power 30,000 homes per year. More here, http://ecoworldly.com/2008/08/12/first-nation-tribe-in-canada-will-use-wind-energy-to-power-30000-homes/

Sweden Rolling Out 183 MPH High-Speed Green Train


Maybe you’ve heard about the proposed high-speed train in California. Well, Sweden is beating the West Coast to the punch with their Green Train.
The Green Train, or Gröna Tåget, will cut energy use on rail lines by 30 percent through lowered operational costs and journey times. Top speeds reached 183 MPH on a test run. Read more here, http://cleantechnica.com/2008/08/12/sweden-rolling-out-183-mph-high-speed-green-train/

Oregon Launching First Solar Highway in the US


Oregon is once again taking the lead with renewable energy by installing the country’s first highway solar energy project. The project will consist of a 104 kW solar photovoltaic system that covers 8,000 square feet and produces 112,000 kWh each year. That’s 28% of the energy needed to power the project’s location, the Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 interchange in Tualatin. Read more here, http://cleantechnica.com/2008/08/13/oregon-launching-first-solar-highway-in-the-us/

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Toxic chemical levels finally dropping in Arctic food animals, new study shows


After decades of concern about southern pollutants poisoning traditional foods that northern aboriginals depend on, a new government study suggests levels of toxic chemicals in a wide range of animals across the Arctic are finally dropping. Read the story here, http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080714/national/arctic_pollutants_dropping

Australian Scientists Make Huge Automotive Breakthrough in Fuel-Cell Technology


Scientists from Australia’s Monash University have made what one professor is calling the most important development in fuel cell technology in the last 20 years. The scientists have managed to redesign fuel cells, so that in the future, they will make hybrid cars more reliable and cheaper to build. Read the rest here, http://gas2.org/2008/08/03/australian-scientists-make-huge-automotive-breakthrough/

Indian Solar Loan Program Offers Access to Light


If you live in a rural area of southern India, two lights can literally save your life.
Just ask Vinoj Kanaya, farmer of silkworms who lives outside a small village located 250 kilometers from the new Silicon Valley of Bangalore. Like many people in developing countries, Mr Kanaya wanted something better than burning wood, dung or kerosene for which he paid a higher proportion of his income than someone in a developed country. Read more here, http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53274

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

In Beijing? Hitch a ride in a Mini Cooper rickshaw


Pedal-powered Mini Cooper Clubman
Planning on attending the Olympics in Beijing this summer? If so, prepare yourself for a slight alteration to one of China's more unique methods of transportation. More, http://en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=9245120

Miscanthus Shows Great Potential as Ethanol Feedstock


In the largest field trial of its kind in the United States, researchers have determined that the giant perennial grass Miscanthus x giganteus outperforms current biofuels sources -- by a lot. Using Miscanthus as a feedstock for ethanol production in the U.S. could significantly reduce the acreage dedicated to biofuels while meeting government biofuels production goals, the researchers report. More here, http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53213

Will Buying a Gas Scooter Save Me Money?


The popularity of gas scooters is squarely tied to the price of gas. So it’s of little surprise that the popularity of scooters is at an all-time high. Prius drivers everywhere are having difficulty turning their keys in the morning, knowing they will only get a scant 48 mpg. Read the rest here, http://thegreenroutine.net/gas-scooter-save-money/

Monday, August 11, 2008

Kite Energy Could Power 100,000 Homes


If we told you that a free-flying kite could provide enough energy to power your house, you might consider us crazy. How about all the homes on your block, or even an entire city? Scientists at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands recently tested just such a technology, tethering a 10 square meter kite to a generator to produce 10 kilowatts of power (enough energy for 10 homes). They are currently planning to scale the experiment with a 50 kilowatt kite and a 100 megawatt array called the Laddermill that could potentially power 100,000 homes! More here, http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/08/05/kite-power-delft-univerity-of-technology/

New Lighting Technology Offers Alternative To CFLs and LEDs


Residential Lighting reports that a new energy-efficient lighting technology, dubbed ESL (electron-stimulated luminescence) was patented in June by a startup company called Vu1. More here, http://cleantechnica.com/2008/08/01/new-lighting-technology-offers-alternative-to-cfls-and-leds/

Mexico & Agaves: Moving from Tequila to Ethanol


With a history that stretches well back into pre-Columbian times, certain varieties of the Agave family are beginning to capture the attention of investors and researchers interested in indigenous plants and trees in countries around the world that are not used to produce food and have attributes that make them prospective sources of ethanol. Read the rest here, http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53265

I've Started The 100 Mile Diet

Here is a sample market run. Not all of this is available during the winter

All Produce was Local & Organic, Lettuce - Romaine, Red Leaf & Green Leaf
Celery, Peppers - Green, Orange, Red & PURPLE, Radish, Green Onion, Cucumber
(That's my weekly salad stuff)

Spinach, Swiss Chard, Peas, Corn, White and Sweet Potatoes
Onions, Apples, Pears
Lots more available but I didn't buy.

Dairy, All Local & Organic (Naturally Raised or Free Range)Milk (In Glass Bottles), Cheese, Butter, Eggs, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese,
Sour Cream & others available but I didn't buy.

Bread and Rolls, Organic but not all grains local. I've been baking my own too, using local if possible.

And for the Meat Eaters, All Local & Naturally Raised
Chicken - Whole, Boneless & Skinless Cuts (Other Cuts Available)
Lamb Chops (Other Cuts Available)Pork Chops (Other Cuts Available)
Beef - Steak, Ground (Other Cuts Available)
There were other products such as Goat, Emu and others that I didn't buy.

Now, I know not everything is available to all but if you can replace half of your grocery list with local products you would be doing what you can as well as telling retailers you want local products.
I know I'll have a challenge in February. There won't be as much local produce available.
I've committed to starting a greenhouse garden in my basement and growing my salad.I'll let you know how that works out.
Barry

Update: June 2,2008

February produce was a challenge but I found lettuce, bell peppers, cucumber and tomatoes, all grown locally the hydroponic way. At least I had a small salad every day.

I don't have a basement greenhouse yet but I do have a backyard garden.

More later.

Update, August 18th 2008

Well the vegetable garden was a bust. I put in a 10' X 12' garden but I don't get enough sun in my yard. We have tomatoes and peppers in containers and they are doing much better. Looks like I need a new plan.

Update, September 12,2009

So gardening at my house is out. Too shady.
I switched to Bullfrog Power a year ago. My hydro comes from wind and non destructive hydro-electric.
I gave up driving to work a year ago as well.

With a friend of mine, we started Earth Hour By The Dozen.
It's Earth Hour but we have it on the 4th Saturday of every month.

Facebook Blog Network

Facebook Fan Box

I am Earth on Facebook

Captive Marine Mammal Pledge.